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enVlaar: Sherwood has reduced stress levelsRon Vlaar believes the positive vibes Tim Sherwood has spread at Aston Villa have made a big impact at the club.http://www.fourfourtwo.com/news/vlaar-sherwood-has-reduced-stress-levels
Sherwood was appointed as Paul Lambert's successor in Februaryafter the former Scotland midfielder paid the price for a run of 10 Premier League games without a win.
Villa were in the relegation zone when Sherwood took charge, but are now three points clear of third-bottom Burnley and captain Vlaar has been impressed with the impact made by the ex-Tottenham head coach.
He told the club's official website: "I haven't had too many sessions with the gaffer - and only one game.
"But I know there's a big difference now at Bodymoor Heath and at Villa Park.There's a lot more energy and positive vibes going through the building.
"You feel it everywhere and that's a good thing.You can see it with the players and all of the people who work at the club.
"I think having a laugh and a joke is good and he's the type of manager who likes to do that with his players.
"The stress levels, even with the situation that we're in,are lower than before which makes it easier for everyone to work in this environment.
"To me, that's important.Now we need to go on and get some more results.
"We've had some good results already and were unlucky in our last game against Swansea.
"We've scored more goals and are creating more so I'm really pleased."
Villa face a difficult trip to Manchester United when the Premier League resumes on Saturday following the international break.
news_articleTue, 31 Mar 2015 14:42:22 +0000368945 at http://www.fourfourtwo.comBosnich backs Aston Villa to beat the dropFormer Aston Villa goalkeeper Mark Bosnich expects the Premier League strugglers to avoid relegation thanks to new boss Tim Sherwood.http://www.fourfourtwo.com/news/bosnich-backs-villa-beat-drop
Villa have won two of their last three top-flight games to move into the relative safety of 16th and three points above the drop zone, while also reaching the FA Cup semi-finals.
AndBosnich, who made over 200 appearances for Villaand won two League Cup titles before joining Manchester United in 1999, claimed that not only should Villa avoid the drop -they should be challenging for top-six honours.
"Of course they can [avoid relegation]. The bottom lineis Paul Lambert did the right thing [by resigning before Sherwood's arrival last month] because they were going nowhere," the ex-Australia keepertold Perform.
"They are a club that should be in the top six. They are a club that has won the European Cup and they are the biggest club in the Midlands.
"They deserve to be up in the top six, not struggling for relegation.The Villa fans are superbly loyal, very good fans.
"Sherwood is the epitome of what Aston Villa is about. He has great passion and far greater knowledge than what a lot of people give him credit for.
"And we saw in the FA Cup game the type of passion required. Unfortunately they had a loss to Swansea but I believe it was the right move at the right time."
Villa will face eitherBlackburn Rovers or Liverpool in next month's FA Cup semi-final, but Bosnich has warned Sherwood to heed lessons from Wigan Athletic - who won the Cupbut were also relegated to the Championshipin 2013.
"It is a wonderful thing but it should not take away from the focus that the most important thing is staying in the Premier League," he added.
"You don't want to end up like Wigan."
news_articleThu, 26 Mar 2015 12:05:08 +0000366783 at http://www.fourfourtwo.comPremier League clubs post pre-tax profitPremier League clubs have posted a combined pre-tax profit for the first time in 15 years, according to a report released on Thursday.http://www.fourfourtwo.com/news/premier-league-clubs-post-first-pre-tax-profit-15-years
The figures for the 2013-14 season show clubs made a profit of £190 million, dwarfing the previous record of £49m set in 1997-98 and in stark contrast to the £2.6 billion of pre-tax losses accumulated over the past decade.
In terms of operating profit, which excludes player trading, net interest charges and the amortisation of player contracts, clubs raked in£620m- three times the previous record of £185m,seven-and-a-half times the £82m achieved in 2012-13 and more than the previous six seasons combined.
The report was compiled by financial experts Deloitte, with Sports Business Group partner Dan Jones explaining: "Last season was the first in the Premier League's current three-year broadcast deal, which was a record breaker when it was struck
"Combined with strong commercial growth at the highest revenue-generating clubs, this has boosted Premier League revenue 29 per centto a record £3.3bn. However, despite this extra income, clubs showed relative restraint in wage costs, which grew by six per centto £1.9bn.
"In the first year of the preceding two broadcast deals, 56 per centand 81 per centof respective revenue growth was absorbed by wage costs. This time it is less than 20 per cent.
"Over the previous 10seasons wages grew by around nine per centper year, which is higher than the average annual revenue growth of seven per centover that period, demonstrating further what a remarkable turnaround the 2013-14 figures represent."
Senior consultant Adam Bull suggested the introduction of UEFA'sFinancial Fair Play regulations could be behind the upturn.
"The introduction of cost control regulations at both a European and domestic level has caused many clubs to watch their spending more closely than ever before and created a useful tool for clubs to reduce the inflationary pressures during negotiations with players and agents.
"Also, the current broadcast deal has given Premier League clubs such a large revenue advantage over the vast majority of European clubs that they can still attract the top playing talent without over stretching themselves financially."
Jones concluded: "The primary aim of a football club is, and always should be, on-pitch success for the fans. However, we do welcome these results, which show that the Premier League clubs are starting to convert their impressive revenue growth into a more sustainable net result.
"With the recent announcement of another record Premier League broadcast deal, the revenue increases show no sign of ending and should make this season’s profit a regular outcome."
news_articleThu, 26 Mar 2015 00:47:03 +0000366624 at http://www.fourfourtwo.comRoutledge hails Swansea match-winner GomisWayne Routledge hopes Swansea City team-mateBafetimbi Gomis can embark on a scoring streak after netting the winner against Aston Villa on Saturday.http://www.fourfourtwo.com/news/routledge-hails-match-winner-gomis
Garry Monk's men moved up to eighth courtesy of Gomis' 87th-minute strike, which represented just his third Premier League goal this season.
"Bafe is always in the right positions to score the goals," Routledge told Swansea's official website. "Hopefully [this]will be the start of a run for him.
"He's a good player who has played in the Champions League. We all see the quality he has.
"Hopefully [the]goal will give him belief, so that he can score more."
The result was the perfect tonic for Swanseaafter back-to-back defeats against Tottenham and Liverpool, with 43 points now on the board for the Welsh club.
Routledge added: "It was important to put a performance in and get the three points after two losses.
"We didn't play that badly in the two games, but when you don't pick up points, it's important you get back to winning ways as quickly as possible.
"Every Premier League game is difficult, so todig in and win the way we did was very pleasing. The 40-point mark isn't a stopping point for us; we want to get as many points as possible before the end of the season.
"We always create chances, we kept a clean sheet and scored the crucial goal, so it's a nice feeling."
news_articleSun, 22 Mar 2015 09:03:56 +0000364969 at http://www.fourfourtwo.comMonk hails Swansea character at VillaGarry Monk championedSwansea Citys character after a last-gasp Bafetimbi Gomis goal gave the Welsh side a 1-0 win at Aston Villa on Saturday.http://www.fourfourtwo.com/news/monk-hails-swansea-character-after-villa-win
Swansea controlled proceedings in the first half and Gomis saw several chances go beggingbefore Villa produced a marked improvement after the interval.
Despite Villa growing in stature in the second period, Tim Sherwood's menwere unable to make the most of the opportunities that fell their way and Gomis prodded home three minutes from time after good work by Jefferson Montero.
The win sees Swansea move to within four points of their bestPremier League pointstotal – 47 – and Monk was full of praise for his team's late show.
"Overall, I think we deserved it," he said. "In the first half we were fantastic, created a few chances and maybe should have scored a couple.
"The second half was much more even, with both teams pushing and fighting, but we dealt with a confident Aston Villa team well.
"It was similar to Monday night [the 1-0 defeat to Liverpool] in that we were fantastic in the first half, but in the back of your mind you do wonder whether the missed chances will come back to bite you.
"But [Swansea's performance]typified the character and determination we have in that changing room.
"A lot of people might question what we have to play for, but we continue to fight and push.
"We did a lot of things right. There were some big performances at a tough place to come. I'm very pleased."
news_articleSat, 21 Mar 2015 19:37:42 +0000364712 at http://www.fourfourtwo.comSherwood: Aston Villa must learn quicklyTim Sherwood was left unimpressed by Aston Villas concentration levels after theyslumped to another late defeat, this time to Swansea City.http://www.fourfourtwo.com/news/sherwood-villa-must-learn-quickly
Villa looked set to claim a 0-0 draw at home to Garry Monk's men, only for Bafetimbi Gomis to strike three minutes from time to give Swansea all three points.
Villa suffered a similar fate in Sherwood's first match in charge against Stoke City last month, whenVictor Moses netted at the death.
And Sherwood is starting to become concerned by Villa switching off in the latter stages of matches.
"That's the second time it's happened now," he said. "It happened in my first game against Stoke - although that [the Stoke winner] was a little bit later.
"It's disappointing to lose in that manner. I think we deserved a point.
"They were better than us in the first period. I thought after the break we looked the most likely to score.
"Losing so late makes it even more disappointing.
"There comes a point in the game when, if you look like not winning it, you make sure you don't lose it. That's twice it's happened now. We have to try and address that.
"It's difficult to not be down-hearted, but when I took over we were in a hole, there were no smiles and morale was low.
"The spirit is a lot better in the camp and we have to make sure we don't take this defeat too hard."
news_articleSat, 21 Mar 2015 19:20:48 +0000364683 at http://www.fourfourtwo.comPremier League: Aston Villa 0 Swansea 1Bafetimbi Gomis put a frustrating game behind him to earn Swansea City a 1-0 Premier League victory at Aston Villa on Saturday.http://www.fourfourtwo.com/news/aston-villa-0-swansea-city-1-gomis-snatches-late-victory
The France international had seen numerous opportunities come and go as the match looked to be petering out to a drab goalless draw.
However, substitute Jefferson Montero found Gomis with a low cross from the left in the 87th minute -the striker applying the simple finish to earn Swansea a first win in three.
Villa had won their last three matches in all competitions, but this weekend's clash was in stark contrast to the 4-0 win at Sunderland last time out.
That fixture saw Villa net four goals in the first half, but chances were few and far between for the home side in the opening 45 minutes against Swansea.
In fact, Sherwood's men were booedoff by some at half-time.
Things did not get anybetter for Villa after the break,and Gomis finally took a chance to see Swansea climb to eighth in the top flight.
Both sides made one change at the back, with Alan Hutton replacing Matthew Lowton for Villa and Federico Fernandez coming back into the Swansea side in place of Jordi Amat, but it was the hosts' defensive line that came under most pressure early on.
After Kyle Naughton had seen an effort blocked in the Villa box, Gomis should have done better with his first real opening from six yards – Alan Hutton sliding in to make an excellent intervention.
Gomis was causing problems in the Villa box again in the 22nd minute as he fired against goalkeeper Brad Guzan after being played in by Ki Sung-yueng, before the hosts were forced into a change when Tom Cleverley left the field through injury, with Carlos Sanchez introduced in his place.
It was not until the 33rd minute that Swansea stopper Lukasz Fabianski was called into action for the first time, with Febian Delph seeing his low drive kept out by the Poland international after being teed up by Scott Sinclair – playing against his former club.
Ciaran Clark was in the six-yard box to keep out Routledge after Guzan flapped at a free-kick, and the American was lucky to get away with another fluffed clearance when he kicked the ball straight at Gomis.
Sinclair saw the ball run through his legs as he unleashed an air shot at the beginning of the second half, before Guzan tipped over from a Sigurdsson free-kick.
Gomis endured a largely difficult day at the office and cut a dejected figure after heading well over in the 54th minute.
Gabriel Agbonlahor squandered a glorious opportunity to go ahead soon after – his poke from six yards deflected wide by Neil Taylor - andGomis' problems in front of goal continued as he saw an effortdivertedover by Clark.
However, the 29-year-old eventually found the net three minutes from time to seemingly put the result beyond doubt.
Sinclair came close to snatching a spectacularleveller with a volley soon after, beforeRoutledge should have made it 2-0 when sent through on goalwith the match nearing a conclusion, but saw his effort smothered.
news_articleSat, 21 Mar 2015 16:59:45 +0000364585 at http://www.fourfourtwo.comSherwood: I tried to sign Delph for TottenhamTim Sherwood and midfielder Fabian Delph are working together at Aston Villa but it may have come sooner had the former Tottenham boss got his way at White Hart Lane.http://www.fourfourtwo.com/news/sherwood-i-tried-sign-delph-tottenham
Sherwood revealed he was interested in taking Delph to Tottenham before Daniel Levy wielded the axe after the London club finished sixth at the end of the 2013-14 Premier League season.
Almost a year on and Sherwood is back in management as a replacement for Paul Lambert and working with Delph, who signed a contract extension in January.
"He's the sort of character I need when you're struggling towards the bottom of the division and he's willing to put pen to paper on a new deal. He will do for me!" Sherwood said ahead of Saturday's hosting of Swansea City.
"He was certainly on my list. I remember bumping into his agent in London, telling him I'd like to take him to Tottenham if I was still there.
"Obviously that wasn't to be and Fabian decided to sign here, so in the end I did get to manage him."
Sherwood added: "I tried my best with Fabian. I really tried my best.
"I think there was a place for him there where he could have slotted in either side of Ryan Mason and Nabil Benteleb. He'd cost too much money now, but he would have been a bargain then.
"I told his agent that if I was still in charge, I'd definitely want him to come. Is that tapping up?!
"He's got more to show. When he goes past someone, he goes past them like they are not there.
"He's got a change of pace and a hammer of a left foot. He's so eager to do well that he almost runs past three people to close someone down."
news_articleSat, 21 Mar 2015 06:31:50 +0000364388 at http://www.fourfourtwo.comSherwood: Spurs wanted to get rid of KaneFormer Tottenham manager Tim Sherwood claims the Premier League club wanted to offload star striker Harry Kane last January.http://www.fourfourtwo.com/news/tottenham-wanted-get-rid-kane-sherwood
The 21-year-old Spurs striker earned his first England call-up on Thursday, having scored 16 Premier League goals this season.
Sherwood, now in charge of Aston Villa after a stint at Tottenham from December 2013 to May 2014, said people at the London club wanted to get rid of Kane.
The Villa boss said he was behind the decision to keep Kane at the club.
"It's great. I resisted the temptation to get rid of him last January because perhaps he wouldn't be the star he is for Tottenham," Sherwood said.
"There were people at the club who wanted to bring in another striker and sacrifice Harry Kane. I wouldn't allow that to happen. He got his opportunity and now he's bouncing forward."
news_articleFri, 20 Mar 2015 05:27:44 +0000363796 at http://www.fourfourtwo.comPremier League Preview: Aston Villa v SwanseaGarry Monk takes Swansea City to Aston Villa in the Premier League on Saturdayready to face a siderejuvenated by the arrival of Tim Sherwood.http://www.fourfourtwo.com/news/aston-villa-v-swansea-city-monk-impressed-sherwood-impact
Sherwood succeeded Paul Lambert at Villa Park last month and since his appointment they have won four of their six matches in all competitions.
Villa come into Saturday's meeting on the back of three successive victories - against West Brom in both the league and FA Cup, before last weekend's 4-0 demolition of Sunderland which ultimately cost Gus Poyet his job.
Swansea's form has been inconsistent of late, with back-to-back wins over Manchester United and Burnley followed by consecutive losses at Tottenham and then at home to Liverpool.
"He [Sherwood]has gone in there and lifted the confidence," Monk said."They have very good players there but they weren't playing to their full potential before.
"Tim is an honest guy in the way he approaches games and Villa have picked up in recent weeks and we're expecting a really tough game this weekend.
"Their priority I'm sure is to stay in the Premier League. Of course cup games are always nice to look forward to, but that can breed confidence too.
"But we've got our own targets and what we want to achieve in the remaining games this season. The next target is to beat 47 points, Saturday is another challenge and we want to get more points on the board."
Swansea sit ninth in the table, while Villa's successive league wins have seen them climb out of the relegation zone to 16th, three points clear of danger.
Fabian Delph was named in England's 24-man squad for the upcoming internationals against Lithuania and Italy, and Sherwood says the midfielder is just the type of player he needs to help Villa out of their difficult position.
"I am not surprised he's been called up. He's been fantastic. He's been outstanding," Sherwood said.
"He has everything I need in a player - his application and desire to play for this football club.
"It's fantastic for me to inherit that kind of player - a player who wants to commit to a club that is struggling in this division.
"He's the kind of character I need when you're struggling towards the bottom of the division."
Ron Vlaar's calf injury means the defender is doubtful for the game, as are Nathan Baker (knee), Aly Cissokho (knock), Philippe Senderos (calf) and Kieran Richardson (knock).
Swansea have Federico Fernandez back available after he missed Monday's defeat to Liverpool due to family reasons, although Kyle Bartley (knee) remains out.
news_articleThu, 19 Mar 2015 17:05:52 +0000363545 at http://www.fourfourtwo.comHow would your Premier League team fare without its three best players?According to Sunderlands new assistant, English teams would be nothing without their trio of star men.Nick Millerinvestigates...Nick Millerhttp://www.fourfourtwo.com/features/how-would-your-premier-league-team-fare-without-its-three-best-players
Back in 2010, shortly after leaving West Ham, new Sunderland assistant manager Zeljko Petrovic gave a damning assessment of the Premier League. "Every team has just three good players," he said. "If you take those players out of the teams then there are only players left who would not be playing in the bottom team in Holland."
Is he right? Would the Premier League's 'elite' suffer significantly if you were to remove their three top men? Here, we take a wholly unscientific look at who they might be (partly based on general ability, partly on their form this season) and what might happen without them...
Arsenal
Santi Cazorla, Mesut Ozil, Alexis Sanchez
It's not difficult to see where Arsenal's strengths lie, and given that some of the other candidates for their list of strongest players are in similar positions, it goes some way to highlighting their deficiencies too. Indeed, if you removed these three players from the Arsenal side, they would still be a team with plenty of creativity in the middle, sometimes excellent and sometimes calamitous performers at the back, and strikers who are very good but not as good as they need to be.
Aston Villa
Ron Vlaar, Alan Hutton, Christian Benteke
Had you said in the summer that Hutton would be among Aston Villa's key men this season, you'd probably be quietly taken away somewhere. But in a campaign largely filled with drudgery, the right-back has been comparatively excellent. It's also perhaps not a coincidence that, along with the arrival of Tim Sherwood, Villa's recent revival has coincided with a return to form for Benteke, and considering their dearth of other striking options, without him Villa would be in some trouble. At times during the early weeks of the season it seemed Vlaar was holding their defence together on his own, and while Ciaran Clark has been impressive, Vlaar certainly adds plenty of extra solidity.
Burnley
Jason Shackell, Kieran Trippier, Danny Ings
It goes without saying that Burnley would be somewhat doomed without Ings. His nine goals have been responsible for nine of their 25 points thus far. They're already among the favourites for relegation, but without his contribution they'd be near-certainties. One wonders how they will fare next season without him, regardless of their division. Shackell and Trippier are more low-profile contributors for Sean Dyche's side, but still vitally important, and for a club of Burnley's means, they couldn't realistically hope for better. What success Burnley have had has been based on a strong team effort, but without these three they would be much worse off.
Chelsea
John Terry, Eden Hazard, Diego Costa
It's no coincidence that Chelsea's slightly uncertain recent run of form has come with Costa suspended/out of form. Indeed, they may have been champions last season had they been able to rely on a centre-forward of genuine class, rather than mixing and matching where they could. Hazard is the creative hub of their side but there is enough wit elsewhere in their side to cover for his absence; Terry is easily their best defender, though, and arguably still the best in the Premier League. With the occasionally uncertain Gary Cahill and the still raw Kurt Zouma as the alternatives, Terry's importance should not be understated.
Crystal Palace
Scott Dann, Mile Jedinak, Yannick Bolasie
Among the many pleasing things for Palace this season is that their revival has not necessarily been down to any one single player. Instead it's been thanks to some excellent contributions from James McArthur, Jason Puncheon, Wilfried Zaha and Glenn Murray, plus the change in manager, meaning that taking out a few other key performers perhaps wouldn't have made too much difference. Jedinak, Bolasie and Dann have all been excellent, both at stages this season and in their Palace careers as a whole, but the Eagles' revival is enough of a team effort to mean they aren't reliant on their top men.Everton
John Stones, James McCarthy, Romelu Lukaku
Lukaku has been maligned by many this season, but he still has 17 goals in all competitions, and you wonder where Everton would be without him. Out of the Europa League, for a start, where his five goals over two legs against Young Boys were the difference between the two sides. And while Everton's Premier League season hasn't gone to plan, there is little doubt they would be in much worse shape without him. Equally in defence, which has been a problem this season, the absence of Stones for a large part of the campaign was clearly a blow, and with Phil Jagielka and especially Sylvain Distin edging towards the end of their careers, the young defender is becoming more and more important for Roberto Martinez's side. In midfield, McCarthy provides a secure presence that has also been missed due to assorted injuries this term. Being without the latter two is one explanation for Everton's season being so disappointing after the hope of last term.
Hull
James Chester, Tom Huddlestone, Nikica Jelavic
In truth it's tough to pick out three players who stand out for Hull in what has been a poor season, but while captain Michael Dawson and Curtis Davies are the two highest-profile names in their defence, it's arguably Chester who is their most important presence at the back, usually making Steve Bruce's men look like a much better team. Huddlestone tends to keep the ball moving in midfield even if he does struggle against the best, while up front Jelavic has eight goals in 19 starts–a respectable number in a successful team, excellent in one that has struggled. However, it's debatable whether they would be significantly worse without these three – they are all good players, but the drop in quality to the remainder of their squad is perhaps negligible.
Leicester
Esteban Cambiasso, Riyad Mahrez, Andrej Kramaric
Given that it was pretty tough to select a third-most important player after Cambiasso and Mahrez, it's probably safe to say that the absence of their top trio wouldn't make a huge difference. Cambiasso has provided bite, experience and a semblance of class to Leicester's midfield, while you always get the feeling that Mahrez will create something and thus at least provide some danger. But neither have been enough to keep the Foxes from the bottom of the table. Kramaric only has two goals in England but is clearly talented, and perhaps has been wondering what on earth he's got himself into since joining in January.
Liverpool
Raheem Sterling, Philippe Coutinho, Jordan Henderson
There are a number of candidates to be among Liverpool's top players, from Martin Skrtel to Lucas Leiva, Daniel Sturridge when he's scoring goals, and perhaps even Steven Gerrard if you're feeling sentimental. However, without Sterling, Coutinho and Henderson, Brendan Rodgers' style of play, focusing on ball retention and rapid attacks, simply wouldn't be possible. It's equally important to Rodgers that this trio are adaptable and able to play a few different roles, which suits his tactical flexibility. Liverpool certainly have plenty of other attacking talents, but Sterling, Coutinho and Henderson are the side's core now.
Man City
Yaya Toure, David Silva, Sergio Aguero
One of the easier trios to name, Silva, Aguero and Toure are the driving force behind most good things Manchester City do, particularly given the decline this season of Vincent Kompany and lack of consistent partners for Aguero and Toure. While they can cope pretty well without one of them in the side (their record without Toure this season is surprisingly good), had they been denied all three they would barely be a top-four team, which is a damning indictment of a side that has spent so much money. While any team would miss their best three players, there can be few who are so reliant on theirs.
FEATURE Man City's poor recruitment means Chelsea keep them at arm's lengthMan United
David de Gea, Angel Di Maria, Wayne Rooney
Where would Manchester United be without De Gea? There's a case to be made for the Spaniard being the best goalkeeper in Europe at the moment, and even with Victor Valdes in reserve, it's difficult to see who United could convincingly replace him with. Only just behind him in terms of importance to Louis van Gaal's side is Rooney, who has proved invaluable if only because he's the sole reliable striker United have at the moment, with Robin van Persie and Radamel Falcao injured and out of form. Without him their qualification for the Champions League would be a much bigger struggle. On ability alone, Di Maria is also among United's elite, even if his form in the last few months has been poor, but if he can repeat some of his early-season performances there are few in the world that can touch him.
Newcastle
Daryl Janmaat, Jack Colback, Papiss Cisse
It's difficult to work out what difference losing key personnel would make to this version of Newcastle, such is the transient nature of their squad: players seem to arrive, establish themselves and then leave... or dither and spend seasons on the fringe. And all the time they appear to finish somewhere around mid-table, having either disappointed their fans after a good run that promised more, or inspired belief after a terrible run that threatened relegation. Janmaat is clearly too good for this Newcastle side, Colback has played his way into the England squad at St James' Park, while Cisse is their only reliable finisher. But would they decline significantly without those three? Arguably, no.
QPR
Rob Green, Leroy Fer, Charlie Austin
Austin has scored 15 of QPR's 30 league goals this season; Fer is next on the list with four. No other player has more than two, and wiping his goals have won QPR 10 of their 22 points. So there's a decent argument to be made that there is no other single player upon whom a club relies than QPR and Austin this season, and also perhaps puts paid to the old line that a team can avoid relegation simply by having a decent striker (ask Andy Johnson, whose 21 goals didn't save Palace in 2005). At the other end of the pitch, Green has looked a rather forlorn figure, producing a number of fine performances as the defenders in front of him rather obligingly wave through attacker after attacker. Without Austin and Green, QPR could well have challenged Derby's record low points total this season.
Southampton
Toby Alderweireld, Ryan Bertrand, Morgan Schneiderlin
Plenty predicted doom for Southampton at the start of the seasonafter the fire sale of players who helped them succeed last term, but the transfer business done over the summer turned up some gems that arguably saw them improve. The likes of Graziano Pelle and Dusan Tadic have faded, but both Alderweireld and Bertrand have maintained some level of consistency, to the extent that Dejan Lovren and Luke Shaw haven't really been missed. However, their most important player is still one they managed to keep last year, and if they do eventually lose Schneiderlin in the summer, it may prove very difficult for a club of Southampton's still relatively limited means to effectively replace him.
Stoke
Asmir Begovic, Ryan Shawcross, Steven N'Zonzi
It's perhaps surprising that Begovic and Shawcross are still at Stoke. Both men have been linked with moves away to some slightly more glamorous clubs in the last few years, but Stoke have held on tight –understandably, given that the duo form the bedrock of Mark Hughes's team. Completing the spine of the team is French enforcer N'Zonzi, a midfielder one would perhaps charitably describe as 'robust', but is nevertheless a crucial part of their set-up. Bojan Krkic is also in with a shout of being among their most important players, not least because he symbolises their change of style in the last couple of seasons, but if someone was to remove the Potters' solid spine they would be in some serious trouble.Sunderland
John O'Shea, Lee Cattermole, Seb Larsson
Now, this was a challenge. So dreary has Sunderland's season been that choosing three players to stand out for them is a thankless task, but skipper Cattermole, so often their driving force and still an underrated passer, must be one. Other than that, O'Shea's experience and Larsson's set-piece deliveries have got them out of a couple of tight spots, nudging them ahead of other candidates like Jermain Defoe, theoretically their best finisher, and Costel Pantilimon, who has made a few vital saves. Still, it's hard to escape the conclusion that Sunderland aren't any good with their three best players, so still wouldn't be any good without them.
Swansea
Ashley Williams, Ki Sung-yueng, Gylfi Sigurdsson
Another season, another set of surprises in South Wales, where Garry Monk has guided his team to comfortable mid-table, carrying on the work done before him. Indeed, Swansea are such a well-run club that they are designed to carry on without their best players, and indeed lost their most important one when Wilfried Bony left for Manchester City in January. Their record without Bony is slightly worse than with him, but not significantly so, and while the likes of Ki, Sigurdsson and Williams are clearly very important to Monk's men, such is the nature of their club that they would still probably carry on in the same vein without them.
Tottenham
Hugo Lloris, Christian Eriksen, Harry Kane
If Manchester City were the easiest selection, Tottenham weren't far behind. You could make a case for Nabil Bentaleb performing a key role in retaining and intelligently using possession, but there are other players available to Mauricio Pochettino who can do that, if not quite as well. However, Spurs would be a shell of a side without one of the best goalkeepers in the division (probably only behind Thibaut Courtois and David de Gea), their creative hub and source of four late match-winning goals, and the surprise of the season and shoo-in for young player of the year. The star trio might not be enough for Spurs to finish in the top four, but without them they'd be nowhere near it.
West Brom
Joleon Lescottt, Darren Fletcher, Saido Berahino
Of course, the key catalyst to West Brom's revival this season has been the arrival of Tony Pulis, but without the goals of Berahino and drive of Fletcher, things look bleak for the Baggies. The former Manchester United man has provided the midfield organisation and security that simply wasn't there before his arrival, while Berahino's goals have obviously been crucial. Even so, as long as they have Pulis in charge, no individual player will ever be as important as his sturdy guidance.
West Ham
Adrian, Winston Reid, Stewart Downing
For West Ham, managing to tie Reid down to a new contract must be one of the coups of the season, given his old deal was due to run out in the summer and there was apparently a queue of frankly bigger and better clubs forming to sign the New Zealander. Without his presence the West Ham defence would be a much less secure place, and the same applies to Adrian, who was initially only signed as a back-up to Jussi Jaaskelainen, but is now one of the better keepers in the Premier League. Finally, much of the Hammers' gameplan often seems to revolve around Downing, whether his job is to play wide and provide crosses for a centre-forward, or through the middle to offer guile and creativity. Their excellent start to the season wouldn't have been possible without his fine form.
So...
Of course, assessing a team's quality without their best players is difficult without knowing exactly who they would replace them with, but it's still possible to look at how much those teams rely on certain men. On that basis, the teams that would suffer the most without their top players are either those who build their strategy around a certain player, or those that don't really have much of a strategy and rely on their best performers to win them games and get them out of trouble.
Thus, Manchester City stand out as the side who would lose the most without their trio, with West Ham, Tottenham, QPR and Manchester United not too far behind. As for those that wouldn't particularly suffer, with some exceptions it generally either seems to be those who are poor anyway, perhaps because 'best' is a relative term in their case (see Leicester, Sunderland), or those teams like Southampton or Swansea who are organised enough to cope with losing their top players, and indeed are used to doing so.
Highly unscientific table ahoy
1. Arsenal
2. Chelsea
3. Southampton
4. Liverpool
5. Man City
6. Man United
7. Swansea
8. Crystal Palace
9. Stoke
10. Tottenham
11. West Brom
12. West Ham
13. Newcastle
14. Everton
15. Aston Villa
16. Sunderland
17. Leicester
18. Hull
19. Burnley
20. QPR
featureWed, 18 Mar 2015 14:53:12 +0000Joe Brewin362867 at http://www.fourfourtwo.comArsenals next midfield sensation whos bothered backlines all over EuropeJoe Nelsonprofiles Gunners youngster Dan Crowley, the 17-year-old fast approaching a first-team debut for Arsene Wengers side...Joe Nelsonhttp://www.fourfourtwo.com/features/arsenals-next-midfield-sensation-whos-bothered-backlines-all-over-europe
The 60-second story
Crowley joined Arsenal from Aston Villa for almost £1 million the day after his 17th birthday, having played for the Midlanders since the age of nine. The midfielder, who was quickly dubbed the 'New Jack Wilshere', instantly settled in the reserve squad, and the player he aims to eventually emulate was soon backing up claims of the youngster's talent on Twitter:
"Everybody follow @danielcrowley24. Trust me when I say this kid is a player! Big future..."
The Coventry youngster has produced a string of consistent performances domestically for Arsenal's under-21s this season, but it's in Europe where he has really hogged the spotlight.
Crowley scored five goals and created five others in eight UEFA Youth League games before the young Gunners crashed out to Atletico Madrid in the last 16– including a hat-trick in a 4-3 win against Anderlecht.
"We were all very disappointed but we had to move on and learn from it," Crowley tells FFT.
"UEFA's Youth League was great because it’s similar to international football. I think I had a good tournament and scored a few good goals."
Why you need to know him
Crowley has spent much of this season training with Arsenal's first team under the guidance of Arsene Wenger. "He’s the main reason I came, he gives so many young players a chance," the 17-year-old admits.
The teenager first caught the attentions of Gunners fans after dismantling Peterborough in a 6-0 FA Youth Cup win last January, where he assisted four goals and grabbed a brace himself.
"It’s great to be playing every week, but at such a big club you can never really hold your place because there’s so many good players," he says. "You have to perform every week or your place will be taken."
The defensive lock-picker made his Aston Villa Under-16s debut at the tender age of 12, and England calls-ups swiftly followed. Crowley has made 13 appearances for England’s under-17s so far, and the landmark under-18s call is surely just round the corner.
It’s fair to say the teenager has enjoyed his time since moving to north London last season. And with creative talents like Mesut Ozil, Tomas Rosicky and Santi Cazorla helping prepare him for first-team football, there’s no reason he can’t excel in the near future. "The best thing about being at Arsenal is playing football every day with the best players. There’s no better job," he beams.
Strengths
Ingenuity around the box is Crowley’s forte. But whether it’s threading through defence-splitting passes, jinking inside the full-back, or unleashing a drive into the top corner from the edge of the area, Crowley has demonstrated a wide-reaching repertoire so far.
He’s struck up a lethal partnership with Chuba Akpom, who many Arsenal fans hold in high regard and see as a future No.9 for the club. So far the teenager's sharpness has set him apart from the rest of the pack. With two dazzling feet to match his killer instincts, the 17-year-old has all the tools to continue honing his skills along the path towards Wenger's XI.
Weaknesses
Crowley’s slight stature is something he must learn to deal with, and the inevitable clatterings he's likely to receive on a regular basis (in which case he'll definitely be the newWilshere).
But in Santi Cazorla, the teenager has a useful role model to watch daily. "I’ve learnt of Santi that not only do you need to be good technically, you have to work really hard off the ball to play at the top level."
The Spaniard has proved that size doesn’t matter in England’s top division, winning two PFA Fans' Player of the Month awards on the trot this year.
Did you know?
Crowley could yet choose to represent the Republic of Ireland, despite his appearances for England’s Young Lions. "My grandparents are Irish," he says. "I played for Ireland [at U17 level], went for trials with England and got in. I’m still young and I’d never rule anything out. You just don’t know what’s around the corner."
They said…
Club captain Mikel Arteta joined Wilshere in his praise for the playmaker in Arsenal’s matchday programme earlier this season. "He has impressed me for two reasons," said the skipper. "The first is of course his talent, but he is also gaining maturity too, and if he keeps doing that then he can be a very good player. He's at the right club with the right people around him."
What happens next?
The under-21 season is drawing to a close, and Arsenal have a very realistic chance of winning their league. A winning mentality from a young age is a strong foundation for any great player, something Crowley certainly isn't lacking. "We want to win it. And now we're out of the Champions League and Youth Cup, we want to win it even more," says the 17-year-old.
Next season should see the teenager make his Arsenal debut, at least in a cup, perhaps alongside a loan move for regular first-team football. It's not a necessity for Wenger, as Serge Gnabry's rise to the first team proved, but Arsenal's array of midfield talent means it's a likely option.
"In a few years' time I hope to be playing football for Arsenal and internationally," Crowley says. He’s certainly on the right road.
featureWed, 18 Mar 2015 12:15:00 +0000Joe Brewin362845 at http://www.fourfourtwo.comLarsson embarrassed by Sunderland capitulationSebastian Larsson branded Sunderlandscollapse against Aston Villa shocking after Gus Poyets sideslipped closer to the Premier League relegation zone.http://www.fourfourtwo.com/news/larsson-embarrassed-sunderland-capitulation
A catalogue of errors against at the Stadium of Light saw Sunderlandgift Villa a 4-0 victory on Saturday - with all four of the visitors' goals coming before the break.
"It's a shocker of a performance in the first half after a good start," Larsson told the Sunderland Echo."All of us 11 players out there have to take the blame.
"The goals we conceded in that first half were so avoidable, every single one.
"It's just a ridiculous amount of mistakes from all of us out there. Look at all four goals and none of them should be going in.
"That's the very, very frustrating thing.
"It's just embarrassing. For one bad goal to go in and for us to collapse the way we did, is absolutely shocking."
news_articleMon, 16 Mar 2015 09:31:44 +0000361379 at http://www.fourfourtwo.comSherwood hails strike duo at SunderlandAston Villa manager Tim Sherwood was delighted with the performance of goalscoring heroes Christian Benteke and Gabriel Agbonlahor in their 4-0 win at Sunderland.http://www.fourfourtwo.com/news/sherwood-hails-strike-duo
Both players struck twice in a dominant first-half display at the Stadium of Light, as Villa moved above Sunderland into 16th in the table.
Before Saturday's victory, Villa had scored just four goals away from home all season in the league.
And Sherwood was thrilled to see his side double their road tally in one effort, highlighting his faith in their potential to keep up their attacking form between now and the end of the season.
"I didn't take much notice prior to coming here but I've not had any trouble scoring goals since I've been here," he said.
"I'm pleased we're talking about them in that light. They've took some unfair criticism, if we create chances for them they'll score.
"They showed today they're quite clinical in front of goal.
"It's a fantastic step towards safety but there's a lot of work to be done. We've managed to drag Sunderland into it now and push them underneath us.
"But it's all about next week now [against Swansea City]. I'm sure our fans will be jubilant and the boys are looking forward to playing at home.
"Losing becomes a habit and winning does also."
news_articleSat, 14 Mar 2015 19:24:26 +0000360595 at http://www.fourfourtwo.comPoyet left stunned by manner of Villa defeatSunderland head coach Gus Poyet was unable to explain his sides 4-0 thrashing at the hands of Aston Villa in the Premier League.http://www.fourfourtwo.com/news/poyet-left-stunned-manner-sunderland-defeat
Christian Benteke and Gabriel Agbonlahor both scored first-half braces as the hosts capitulated in the opening period at the Stadium of Light.
The defeat further piles the pressure on Poyet, with Sunderland now just one place above the relegation zone after Villa leapfrogged them with Saturday's victory.
Asked if he expects to speak to Sunderland owner Ellis Short on the back of such a heavy defeat, Poyet replied: "I don't know. I don't speak to the owner after every game, we speak when we need to speak.
"I'm just trying to accept something that I've got no explanation for. I prefer not to go into details, we're going to analyse the first half very carefully.
"I'm extremely disappointed. I did not expect this to happen but that's football I suppose.
"I'm honest, when things go right I tell you I'm responsible and when things go wrong I'm responsible.
"I hate people who change and have too many faces. I'm responsible and I'm the one who needs to take it."
Poyet also took time to explain the absence of Sebastian Larsson at the start of the second half, after the Sweden international emerged late to the action following the interval.
"Seb Larsson is one of the biggest professionals at the club, he had a massive cut in his leg and they tried to stitch it," Poyet said.
"So we waited for him, and he came out, sometimes we need to think twice before we write [false information] because Seb Larsson doesn't deserve that."
news_articleSat, 14 Mar 2015 19:08:15 +0000360556 at http://www.fourfourtwo.com